Re: General Food Talk

Iíve never understood why some people put sugar in their chili. I add vinegar, lots of garlic, and juice from a jar of hot peppers. What a zip!

Confession about weird food preferences: I sometimes put a glob of mayonnaise on pizza when I eat it. Also like a tossed salad with cut up sausage/bratwurst and a bit of sauerkraut.

I've never understood the lure of saurkraut... it smells like sweaty man foot after working out in the gym and wearing the same sock for 7 days. IMO.
*shudder... happy thoughts of chocolate...happy thoughts of chocolate...*

Seriously though. Who first made saurkraut, smelled it and said 'hum... this smells good, I want to put it in my mouth...'

Re: General Food Talk

Originally Posted by Ellen;3451608;

They do, and it's wonderful! And costs less than the same version at the regular supermarkets. I also like the chicken sausage with mango (goes great with the lime-coconut jasmine rice!) as well as the apple with something else.

I have found that sausage ONCE and we loved it and I have never seen it again.

I will post the recipe in the recipe thead. It's good, but I never thought it was all that. STill flattering to be asked. This is a different one., One I made so much for years, that we got tired of it and I haven't made it in ages. It's made with bread.

I use about a tbsp. of sugar in my chili. The sugar cuts the acid in all the tomatoes and makes the chili less bitter due to the tomato acid. It doesn't make it sweet, it just cuts the acid.

I'm not a huge saurkraut fan, but I love Rueben sandwiches and I had one the other day that was fantastic and those are not Ruebens if you don't have saurkraut on them.

A lot of food like saurkraut and that gefletefish (sp?) were developed befohre refrigeration and people had to come up with ways of preserving food through the winter when gardens are not viable. This was back in the day when there were many diseases that would crop up from inadequate diets lacking in vegetables, etc., so having a means of preserving cabbage by pickling it ensured food through the winter as well as much needed nutrients.

Re: General Food Talk

Has anyone ever tried quinoa? I made a salad today with quinoa and it is so yummy. Here is a brief discription of this protein source. I'll post the recipe in the recipe thread.

Quinoa, pronounced KEEN-wah, has a particularly high protein content, and that protein has a full complement of essential amino acids — particularly lysine. That makes it a complete protein, which means that it contains all the essential amino acids our bodies can’t make on their own. Besides its high protein content (1 cup of cooked quinoa has 8 grams of protein, compared to 5 grams in a cup of brown rice and 3.5 grams in a cup of barley), quinoa is a good source of phosphorus, magnesium, potassium, copper, zinc and iron. A cup of cooked quinoa has 220 calories, 3.5 grams of fat and 5 grams of fiber. Its low gluten content makes it suitable for people who suffer from celiac disease and can't digest wheat, rye, barley or several other grains.

Quinoa's mild flavor is reminiscent of a cross between couscous and brown rice. Quinoa is easy to prepare. One cup of uncooked quinoa will yield about three cups cooked. Before cooking quinoa, it needs to be rinsed (some guidelines suggest doing so several times) to get rid of the bitter-tasting saponins that naturally coat the quinoa kernel.

Re: General Food Talk

I love, love, love sauerkraut! On hotdogs! With mashed potatoes! Most definitely the kraut on Reubens!! It just hits the spot.

Have you ever had kimchi? I think it's interesting, but that's just my tastebuds talking. It's Korean. They used to put it in a jar and bury it in the ground for a while before refrigeration.

I've only started adding sugar to my chili lately, and it does make a huge difference with the acidity. Most of my chili seems to be vegetables and beans. I only use 1 pound of meat, but I always end up with a huge pot after I've added all of the non-meats. The water chestnuts were a good idea. I will definitely use them again.

Re: General Food Talk

Love quinoa -- excellent vegetable source of protein!
I like sauerkraut, too -- and pretty much anything with cabbage. Including kimchee! My first experience with kimchee was when visiting at the home of one of my tutoring kids (all are either Korean or Korean-American), and the mom was making kimchee. I asked what that wonderful spicy smell was, and she explained and offered me some. When she handed me the plate, she warned: "It might be a little spicy." A little spicy? No problem! I then learned that when a Korean mom says "a little spicy," she means "this will turn you into a fire-breathing dragon"! I quickly got used to it, though, and now I'm hooked! (And apparently, each family has its own secret recipe.)

For chili, I always add a little unsweetened cocoa powder. It cuts the acidity, but adds a nice depth that I didn't get with brown sugar or maple syrup. (My brother adds maple syrup to his chili. He adds maple syrup to everything.)

Re: General Food Talk

I just had some quinoa pasta for dinner last night and it was really good. Often, wheat-free pastas aren't that great - they're either too "grainy" or they just fall apart. I really liked the quinoa pasta - it had a nice, mild flavor and a good consistency. I'll definitely be buying more.

I'm part Polish, so sauerkraut was a regular part of meals in our house. I haven't had it in a while, but I've always loved sauerkraut and brats. I like sauerkraut on my hot dogs if I can get it.

Breakfast for dinner is a tradition in my family. My folks like pancakes, but I'm more of an omelet girl. I don't really like sweet breakfast foods....even for breakfast.

Anti-intellectualism has been a constant thread winding its way through our political and cultural life, nurtured by the false notion that democracy means that 'my ignorance is just as good as your knowledge.' - Isaac Asimov

I was thinking of the immortal words of Socrates, who said, "... I drank what?"

Re: General Food Talk

Who knew you could even buy such a thing as quinoa pasta? Critical would they sell it in a health foods store? I know it wouldn't be at my grocer, they just now started selling the quinoa. I've been looking for almost a year now for this stuff.

I've got 35 people coming Sunday for a grad party for the boy. I don't know why I'm nervous and even thinking about smoking! We are doing brisket, a honey-mustard grilled chicken, italian sausages and maybe hamburgers. It sounds like a lot of main dishes but some of these people can tuck away the food.

Re: General Food Talk

Breakfast for dinner is a tradition in my family. My folks like pancakes, but I'm more of an omelet girl. I don't really like sweet breakfast foods....even for breakfast.

SoulMate!!!! I've never cared, hardly any, for sweet breakfast foods and have never understood people's preferences for things like sweet rolls, donuts, and the like. Only once in a rare while do I want anything like that for breakfast; an omelet is at the top of my list, too!!

Re: General Food Talk

We love sauerkraut, on Reuben sandwiches yummm... We also have sauerkraut and beef wienners cooked together with lots of hot spicey brown mustard... Mr. Itg's Mom would can sauerkraut.

My Dad ate mayonaise on his Turnip greens.

I like to use dark red kidney beans, black beans along with the pinto beans in our chili and sometimes serve it over rice. It is fun to try different ingredients.
When my son was little, I would grate carrots and other veggies and mix them in foods he liked.

and I'm with you, I don't like sweets for breakfast either, give me an Omelet anyday and save the sweets for later